A Battle Plan for the Adoption of True Health Care Reform to Replace ObamaCare

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. The great point is to bring them the real facts." Abraham Lincoln.


The Democratic majority in Congress has managed to pass health care legislation that supposedly extends coverage to those currently not covered by health insurance but does little else. It is neither true reform, nor does it improve the quality of health care for all Americans. As Lincoln said, once the American people see the true impact this bill will have on those who already have insurance by increasing premium costs, an expanded entitlement program that will drive the deficit up by billions (see Congressman Paul Ryan's website), increasing taxes in a weak economy and other negative effects, the majority of people will express their displeasure with ObamaCare when they vote in this fall's Congressional and Senatorial elections.


However, it is not enough for Republicans and Independents to just say "we will repeal this bill! It cannot stand!" As a party, Republicans need to unite behind a health care reform package to offer to the American people as a replacement for the bill enacted this week. Our bill will focus on people controlling their health care, not the government; provide for affordability and portability of health insurance; reduce health care costs in a free market; improve the quality of health care; all without increasing taxes by billions and without creating a huge new entitlement program that we cannot afford. By the fall campaign, we must be united behind a health care reform plan to offer to the American people as a replacement for the ill-advised and poorly crafted bill that was signed into law this week. Congressman Paul Ryan, Newt Gingrich and others have proposed such plans for health care reform. We need to meld those ideas into a plan that is best for the American people. If we do, I have every confidence they will understand that our plan is best, and vote for candidates in the fall election who support our health care plan as the replacement for ObamaCare.


We need to recognize, and educate the American people, that our plan will not be enacted and replace ObamaCare in the near future. It will be at least a three year process, requiring return of control of the Congress to Republicans through the elections of 2010 and 2012, and electing a Republican President in 2012


In summary, as succinctly stated by the Wall Street Journal's lead editorial on Tuesday, March 23rd, "Many Republicans are already calling for 'repeal' of ObamaCare, and that's fine with us, although they should also be honest with voters about the prospects. The GOP can't repeal anything as long as Mr. Obama is President, even if they take back Congress in November. That will take two large electoral victories in a row. What they can do now is take credit for fighting on principle, hold Democrats accountable for their votes and consequences, and pledge if elected in November to stop cold Mr. Obama's march to ever-larger government." [Wall Street Journal, Tuesday, March 23, 2010, page A20].